Chapter I: "The Secret In The Forest"

6:07 pm.

It had been almost an hour since I started following the trail of black drops. They led me into the Blue-Light Forest, an unexplored area of Stowe. Sometimes I can see that place in my dreams: enormous trees with few leaves on their branches, a silence that could freeze my blood, no sign of life, not even a bird in sight, followed by the weak rays of the sun. Luckily, I had my flashlight, which I'd brought with me along with other things in my backpack. I walked, guided by those drops, until they disappeared. So I used its light to look around, to see if there was anything else, any clue, until I noticed some unlit streetlights a few meters away. I followed the lights until I realized the road ended. I looked up and saw a large building. So this is the place Isabel was directed to. There were lanterns lit, some flickering, it was clear they had been like that for a long time, a second path much more damaged than this one because it was covered with trees and ancient branches, it was as if time had stopped to preserve this place; with fearful steps I approached that enormous relic of time, one of the few things intact was a stone sign on the ground, where the name of said building forgotten by the world rested.

"Genesis Corp." sounds familiar. I think Isabel mentioned something about that name, unless…" I muttered under my breath, lost in thought, until something clicked.

This place must hold the answer to what happened to her…

It's the only hope…

After a few seconds of analysis, I figured there must be something in the booth that could help me. I walked inside the dilapidated guard area. There were few things inside, but it still smelled awful—that black liquid again. Next to it were some dead squirrels covered in the same substance. Then, I looked for something I could use to get inside, since you can't enter buildings like this without an ID card.

Bingo!

Yes, there are still some left; which is strange since all the guards always wear them, very suspicious indeed. As I was about to leave, I noticed some boot prints on the ground.

They look like the ones Isa was wearing!

She was definitely here. I took the card, careful not to smudge the fingerprints; they might be important later. I looked up and saw it was getting late, so I headed toward the door. When I got there, it was ajar for some reason. Apparently, this is the lobby, but it's a bit run-down, with more black stains, but luckily there was electricity. There were two doors on either side of reception, one locked, the other open, but there was no electricity further down.

I just stood there for a few seconds, staring at the dimly lit hallway.

A dimness that makes my heart race and my stomach clench just thinking about it or remembering it...

So, I turned on my flashlight to venture into the corridors. Everything was almost in perfect condition, yet I couldn't help feeling uneasy. Each passage had a stain or two, but they looked very old. Then I turned left and reached the end of the passage: there was a closed door. I had to use my card; it opened and revealed a large hall with a door at the far end. I went in, wondering what they were doing in this place. It was like a large auditorium; it looked very old, with some cobwebs on the furniture. I started walking toward the stage, but as I descended a few steps, a voice appeared.

"...Welcome..."

I immediately screamed in fright, but then the voice continued speaking. A light emanating from the upper booth at the entrance projected onto the stage, generating even more light than before.

"We communicate through the best hologram system ever installed in this building."

As soon as the voice stopped, the supposed "System" displayed the image of a man and a woman; at least they had a very familiar appearance.

"I'm Dr. Oliver Taylor, and this is my wife, Dr. Charlotte Taylor," a hologram of a man with gray eyes and jet-black hair proudly introduced himself, gesturing to the woman, who had orange hair and wore dark glasses.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the woman with dark glasses greeted them with a calm smile.

"We are the founders of this prestigious company, and welcome to 'Genesis Corp.,' where the impossible is possible," the hologram announced before suddenly shutting off.

As soon as it finished, the hologram vanished, but the stage lights remained on. I started walking, questioning what had just happened. They looked too much like Isabel, and they even shared the same last name. It sounds far-fetched, but it makes sense. Oliver has dark hair, just like Isa, and the woman had large eyes, the same as hers. I kept walking until a sound interrupted me.

"Click".

I heard a click under my foot. I stepped back, shining my flashlight on it, and it was a button hidden under the rug. I realized it was part of the security system. The voice returned, but this time it announced something that worried me.

"Security system activated, releasing 1.0.7.5."

After that, the loudspeakers that had been broadcasting the automated message now released a kind of red gas. It looked like pepper spray, but it didn't hurt; it just made me dizzy. I covered my face to avoid breathing it. I didn't know if it was poisonous, though my throat felt like it was burning and my eyes felt heavy. So I started running toward the exit, only to find the doors locked from the outside. I was trapped. Soon I felt my strength draining from my body like sand through my fingers, my cough growing weaker and weaker, my body pressed against the door. Suddenly, a blurry figure appeared through the reddish smoke. Soon I felt arms grab me tightly. I don't know when it happened, but I found myself outside the hall.